Big rise in coronavirus cases belies MP govt claims

Bhopal, May 18 (IANS) Defying the government's claims of containment, Madhya Pradesh became the sixth state in the country to cross 5,000 corona positive cases. With a substantial 259 cases on Monday, the tally went up to 5,236.

Besides the new hotspot of Burhanpur which has jumped from one to 152 in just two weeks, the four old ones -- Indore, Bhopal, Ujjain and Jabalpur -- have maintained a steady rise in the positive cases. Indore stands at the 7th spot in the country with 2,565 cases as on Monday. Capital Bhopal topped the 1,000 mark on Monday with 38 fresh cases. Ujjain (343), Jabalpur (182), Khandwa (165), Dhar (106) are the other spots with over 100 cases.

The overall death toll in the state is 252 with Indore recording 100 as on Monday. The consolation is the slowing down of fatalities. There were four corona deaths on Monday and five on Sunday.

The claims about lockdown putting brakes on the spread of virus are not borne out by the figures through the three phases of containment so far.

During the first phase of lockdown from March 25 to April 14, the state logged 741 cases and Indore led with 362 positive cases and Bhopal had 158. There were 53 deaths with Indore recording 33. Bhopal had recorded five. Those completely cured through the phase numbered 64 and Indore topped with 38.

The second phase(April 15- May 3) marked a rising trend with improved testing rate, as also a higher communication of the virus. The total positive cases reached 2,837 (2,096 fresh cases) in this phase and Indore touched 1,611 and Bhopal 532. There were 156 deaths in the state by the end of this phase with Indore reporting almost 50 per cent at 77. Bhopal had 15. The recoveries totalled at 798 -- Indore 362 and Bhopal 237.

The third phase that ended on Sunday saw the number of cases reaching 4,977 (2,881 fresh) and Indore had 954 of them and Bhopal 422. Of the 248 deaths through this phase, Indore's tally was 101 and Bhopal's 38.

The fourth phase has started with Indore reporting 95 of the 259 cases and Khandwa 69 fresh cases Bhopal 38. The state still seems set for a long struggle ahead.